All the children in the country school agree they enjoyed the Christmas program in the auditorium even more than the parades of the last few years. For grown-ups that goes double.
It was a full day. Each child came to school at the usual time with a sack lunch in his hand. Nearly everyone had on something new. A new dress or jacket or shirt or scarf, gifts that had likely been laid away for Christmas and brought out early for this special occasion. The teacher had planned a full day. Each child had a partner and designated position in the line of march. They marched to the flag stop on the M.K.&T., and rode the train to Emporia. For the younger ones it was the first train ride. A sophisticated fifth grader announced this was her third trip. The remainder of the morning was spent visiting business houses and in-dustries in the county seat. Lunch in the park. In line for the first matinee and home after a full day.
Back seat conversation on the way home after major events is always illuminating to front seat listeners. The monkeys and the acrobats were plenty good but the outstanding feature was the pony on the stage. First of all there was amazement that the stage was large enough for a real, live pony. When one’s stage experience is limited to the eight by twenty-eight foot platform at school, it is a bit difficult to imagine a stage where horses can prance and not be crowded at all. Was there ever a child, rural or urban, who did not long for a pony? You may have the dancers and the other acts if you will just give us the pony.
